The Tudor Choristers presents:
45th SING NOWELL! concerts (est. 1978)
Program
Magnificat in D major (BWV243) by J.S. Bach (1723 - 300th anniversary) with soloists and orchestra.
O Magnum Mysterium by Morten Lauridsen
Tradition carols (with audience participation). Full program details below, including lyrics and translations.
Concert 1
CAMBERWELL (& STREAMING)
Tuesday 12 December, 2023 - 7:30-8:45PM
Basilica of Our Lady of Victories, 548 Burke Rd, Camberwell VIC 3124
Tickets: https://www.tudorchoristers.org.au/event-details/sing-nowell-23-45th-annual-concert-olv-camberwell
Concert 2
IVANHOE EAST
Friday 15 December, 2023 - 7:30-8:45PM
St George's Anglican Church, 47 Warncliffe Rd, Ivanhoe East VIC 3079
PERFORMERS
Choir members
Sopranos | Altos |
Cindy Maddison Jillian Meaney Johanna Snelleman Katrena Mitchell Merle Lamb Suzie Hill Ruby Mansell Win Andrews Margaret O’Connor Mary Chandler | Amalie Wilke Elizabeth King Jill Stow Kay Matthiesson Melissa Laird Pamela Brooke Sarah Jones Su Rogerson Chloe Stringer Erin Wigney Jenny Stengards |
Tenors | Basses |
David Robinson David Ranson John Campbell Grant Furneaux Daniel Griffiths | John Craick Stephen Goodwin Tim Andrews Barry Wilkes Paul Butler |
VOCAL SOLOISTS | ORCHESTRA |
Soprano: Phoebe Paine Soprano: Breanna Stuart Contralto: Margaret Arnold Tenor: Julian Bailey Bass: Jerzy Kozlowski | Recorder 1: Brad Slater
Recorder 2: Sue Bradley
Oboe 1: Bob Millar
Oboe 2: Andrea Soyer
Trumpet 1: Robert Harry
Trumpet 2: Jenny Stengards
Timpani: Elizabeth Buttery
Harpsichord: Grant Furneaux
Organ: Geoff Urquhart
Violin 1: Loretta Meagher
Violin 2: Sylvia Winfield
Viola: Cath Turnbull
Cello: Megan Smithies
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Orchestra gallery
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Bob Millar | Oboe | Sylvia Winfield | Violin II | Sue Bradley | Recorder, Tuba | Megan Smithies | Cello |
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Jenny Stengards | Trumpet, Convenor | Brad Slater | Recorder | Catherine Turnbull | Viola | |
ABOUT THE PERFORMERS
The Tudor Choristers was founded in Melbourne in 1962 by David Carolane OAM and has been directed by Dr Kathleen McGuire since 2017. Specialising in unaccompanied music, The Tudor Choristers has performed for most of Australia's leading concert organisations, including the ABC, Musica Viva, the Victorian Arts Centre, and the Victorian Arts Council. The choir has made radio broadcasts, appeared on national television, and in feature film. Performances under such notable guest conductors as Sir David Willcocks and Philip Ledger, and tours of New Zealand and North America, have confirmed The Tudor Choristers' ranking as one of Australia's pre-eminent choral ensembles. Recent achievements include winning the A Cappella Choirs section of the Boroondara Eisteddfod (2020), producing a Christmas CD: Sing Nowell! (2021) and touring to New South Wales in 2022. The choir is a member of the Australian National Choral Association. To join the choir, CLICK HERE.
Dr Kathleen McGuire | Music Director - has conducted the Tudor Choristers since 2017 and 2023 is her final season with the choir. A non-indigenous Australian, born on the land of the Boonwurrung people of the Kulin Nation, Kathleen has enjoyed a stellar career of four decades in seven countries, conducting orchestras and choirs on international stages including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and Sydney Opera House. She earned her doctorate in conducting at the University of Colorado, Boulder (USA), MMus with Distinction (University of Surrey, UK), GradDipEd (Monash), GradDipArts in conducting (VCA/UniMelb), and BMus in composition (Melbourne). She studied conducting with Robert Rosen, Nicholas Braithwaite, Theodore Kuchar, Dr Joan Catoni Conlon, Dr Owen Rees, Nicholas Conran and Robert Spillman, and received mentoring from Simone Young AO, Marin Alsop, Christopher Martin, Sian Edwards and David Carolane OAM. Kathleen lived in the USA for eighteen years, including a decade conducting the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus and eight years heading the Community Women's Orchestra. “Kathleen McGuire Day” was designated on two occasions by mayors of San Francisco. She was named “Local Hero” by ABC-TV, and The American Prize awarded her work several times in the Professional Composer Division. Kathleen returned to Australia in 2013. Recently guest conducting includes the Festival of Voices (Tasmania), the inaugural Flinders Fringe Festival and the Out and Loud and Proud Choral Festival at Sydney WorldPride. In additional to freelance conducting and composing, she is a Senior Lecturer in Education (Music) at Australian Catholic University. (Kathleen's Website)
Janette Patton | Rehearsal Pianist - Janette graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Music degree and works as a piano teacher and accompanist in several Melbourne schools. Her vast experience includes serving as the organist at Trinity Uniting Church and as guest artist (and occasional rehearsal conductor and accompanist) for the Tudor Choristers and Star Chorale. Janette accompanies students for University, VCE and AMEB examinations and is the regular accompanist of Victoria Chorale.
Geoff Urquhart | Organist - Geoff is resident continuo/harpsichord player to the chamber group La Fraternita di Soloisti, and since 1999 Geoff has been the Organist and Choir Master of Wesley Church, Melbourne and organist to the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic in their annual Messiah and Carol concerts and other events since 2013. Geoff serves as the accompanist and assistant musical director of the men's chorus LowRez, and also accompanies and teaches at several Melbourne schools and has made a number of appearances with the Australian Boys' Choir. Geoff also specialises in German art song and has performed to acclaim most of the major song cycles of Schubert, Schumann and Brahms.
Ruby Mansell | Awardee, David Carolane OAM Choralship 2023 - Ruby has a Bachelor of Music from the Melbourne Conservatorium, where she trained as a coloratura soprano. She went on to pair her love of music with her interest in psychology, completing a Masters of Music Therapy at the University of Melbourne. As a music therapist Ruby works with people in hospital and community settings to address various goals, using music as a tool to achieve them. She is passionate about the role music making can play in community building and wellbeing and has previously worked with REWIRE's Musical Memories Choir to support people living with a diagnosis of dementia and their loved ones.
Phoebe Paine | Soprano - Phoebe Paine graduated in 2020 with a master's degree in operatic performance from the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. In 2017 Phoebe was a Young Artist with the State Opera of South Australia, where she performed as a chorus member and understudied roles. Phoebe performed with the award-winning Adelaide Chamber Singers for several years, including in their performance of “Spem In Alium” with the Tallis Scholars. Her concert engagements have included performing at Adelaide Government House for a dinner event hosted by his Excellency the Governor of South Australia and singing as a soloist with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra for their concert Mendelssohn’s Dream. In 2015 she performed in a quartet with renowned film composer Danny Elfman in Music from the Films of Tim Burton at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. She has performed extensively as a soloist in oratorio, singing with the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic in their performance of Faure’s Requiem and with a chamber ensemble comprised of players from the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra performing Mozart’s Exsultate Jubilate. Phoebe’s stage credits include The Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte, Eurydice in Orpheus in the Underworld, Adele in Die Fledermaus, Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, Suor Genovieffa in Suor Angelica, Cupid in Orphée aux Enfers, the Dew Fairy in Hansel and Gretel, and Emmie in Albert Herring.
Breanna Stuart | Soprano - Originally from Tasmania, Breanna Stuart is a Lyric Soprano based in Melbourne Australia. In 2022, Breanna made her professional debut in the role of Ianthe in Lyric Opera of Melbourne’s production of Iphis (Green Room Award winning production). Her other recent theatre credits include Hairy Girl in The Grumpiest Boy in the World, First Fairy in The Selfish Giant (both Victorian Opera), Hippolyta/Cobweb in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and First Lady in Die Zauberflöte (both Melbourne Conservatorium of Music). She has also studied the role of Donna Elvira in Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Breanna is also a 2023/2024 Australian Contemporary Opera Company (ACOCo) Resident Emerging Artist, and recently performed the role of Foreign Woman in their project ENDURE (adapted from Menotti’s The Consul). In 2021, Breanna graduated from a Bachelor of Music Performance (Classical Voice), and is currently completing a Masters of Opera Performance at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. Her other qualifications also include an AMusA in Classical Voice (2018), and a Diploma of Music from the University of Tasmania (2018).
Margaret Arnold | Contralto - Marg is Curriculum Manager for Performing Arts at the Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority. Her appointment to the VCAA followed many years as Head of Music at Wesley College. Prior to that she was Head of Music at VCASS and MLC. She has also taught pre-school and primary school music in Australia and England. Marg was a pianist in her undergraduate years at University of Melbourne, but completed postgraduate studies at the VCA and Monash University in voice. She has performed as a soloist with many choirs, and with Victorian Opera. She has especially enjoyed professional small ensemble work in London and Australia, and continues to perform with small medieval ensemble Acord, and at occasional club and cabaret gigs. Marg began singing with Tudor Choristers when she was nineteen, her first program being J.S.Bach’s Magnificat. Over the years she returned many times as a soloist, and singing Bach’s Magnificat in this program completes a lovely circle.
Julian Bailey | Tenor - Pianist, Tenor, Teacher, Financial Planner, parent of three and grandparent of two! Our materialist age says Julian is a financial professional, because that is how has paid his way for 30 years. However, at the age of six he started playing the piano, and singing in the boys choir at St Paul’s Manuka. He left High School in Canberra to study Law in Melbourne, but soon followed the more impecunious path of a classical musician, graduating with a Bachelor of Music. Julian sang in the Victoria State Opera for a decade, working also as a voice and piano teacher, and piano accompanist. He has developed a unique and effective method of teaching singing called Singing Logic. See www.singinglogic.com.au Find Julian’s recordings of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Preludes Op 27, several Songs, and Second Piano Concerto, all on your favourite streaming service. Look for ‘Bach-onteur 302’ in February 2024 at Queens College, Parkville.
Jerzy Kozlowski | Bass - Jerzy’s extensive choral experience began in England, working with The Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chorus, the Collegium Musicum of London and the Saltarello Choir.After moving to Australia,Jerzy worked regularly with the Victoria State Operaand has performed with Opera Australia in every Melbourne season since 1996. He has also worked with Ozopera, Melbourne Opera Company, Operalive, Melbourne City Operaand Victorian Opera in roles such as Sparafucile in Rigoletto, the title role in Nyman’s The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Grandpa Moss in Copland’s The Tender Land, Dr Bartolo in Barber of Sevilleand Leuthold in Rossini’s Guillaume Tell. Jerzy has sung solo with all major Melbourne choral groups in repertoire ranging from Handel’s Messiah to Verdi’s Requiem and solo recitals include performances of Shostakovich’s Suite on Verses by Michelangelo and Four Verses of Captain Lebyadkin. He has performed in many premieres of works by Australian composers such as Richard Mills, Johanna Selleck, HelenGifford and Iain Grandage, including two song cycles written especially for him by Michael Bertram and Lawrence Whiffin.
PROGRAM
*indicates audience participation
*Once in royal David's city - Music by H.J. Gauntlett, words by C.F. Alexander, arranged by A.H. Mann
Verse 1 soprano solo: Ruby Mansell (Choralship recipient, 2023)
2. He came down to earth from heaven, who is God and Lord of all,
And his shelter was a stable, and his cradle was a stall.
With the poor and mean and lowly lived on earth our Saviour holy.
3. And our eyes at last shall see Him, through His own redeeming love,
For that Child so dear and gentle is our Lord in heaven above; And He leads His children on to the place where He is gone.
4. Not in that poor lowly stable with the oxen standing by, We shall see Him, but in heaven, set at God’s right hand on high;
When, like stars, His children crowned all in white shall wait around.
I saw three ships – English traditional carol, arranged by David Willcocks
*Away in a manger – Words: anon. Tune by W.J. Kirkpatrick. Arranged by David Willcocks.
1. Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
2. The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.
I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky
And stay by my side until morning is nigh.
3. Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care
And fit us for heaven to live with thee there.
Angels' Carol (1988) – Words and music by John Rutter
Magnificat BWV 243 (1723) by Johann Sebastian Bach
Section | Latin text | English translation |
| Magnificat anima mea Dominum | My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord. |
2. Aria: Soprano II | Et exsultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo | and my spirit has exalted in God my saviour. |
3. Aria: Soprano I
| Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae; ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent | because he has regarded the lowly state of his handmaiden; for behold, from now on [they] will say that I am blessed. |
4. Chorus | Omnes generationes | All generations |
5. Aria: Bass | Quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est, et sanctum nomen eius. | because he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. |
6. Duet: Alto, Tenor | Et misericordia a progenie in progenies timentibus eum. | and his mercy [continues] from generation to generation for those who fear him. |
7. Chorus | Fecit potentiam in brachio suo, dispersit superbos mente cordis sui. | He has made known the power of his arm, scattered those who are arrogant in the thoughts of their heart. |
8. Aria: Tenor | Deposuit potentes de sede et exaltavit humiles. | He has put down the mighty from their seats [of power] and raised up those who are lowly. |
9. Aria: Alto | Esurientes implevit bonis et divites dimisit inanes. | The hungry he has filled with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. |
10. Trio: Soprano I, Soprano II, Alto | Suscepit Israel puerum suum recordatus misericordiae suae. | He has taken under his protection Israel his boy, and remembered his mercy. |
11. Chorus | Sicut locutus est ad Patres nostros, Abraham et semini eius in saecula. | in accordance with what he said to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever. |
12. Chorus | Gloria Patri, gloria Filio, gloria et Spiritui Sancto! Sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper et in saecula saeculorum. Amen. | Glory to the Father, glory to the Son, glory also to the Holy Spirit! As it was in the beginning and [is] now and always and throughout ages of ages. Amen. |
*Joy to the world – Words by Isaac Watts. Melody: Antioch. Adapted by Lowell Mason.
1. Joy to the world! The Lord is come: let earth receive her King;
Let ev’ry heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing, and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
2. Joy to the world! The saviour reigns: let all their songs employ,
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains, repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
3. He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love,
And wonders of his love, and wonders, and wonders of his love.
*Good King Wenceslas – Words by J.M. Neale. Tune from Piae Cantiones, arranged by Reginal Jacques.
All: 1. Good King Wenceslas looked out on the feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even.
Brightly shone the moon that night, though the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight, gath’ring winter fuel.
Men: 2. Hither page and stand by me, if thou know’st it telling,
Yonder peasant who is he? Where and what his dwelling?
Women: Sire, he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain;
Right against the forest fence, by Saint Agnes’ fountain.
Men: 3. Bring me flesh and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither;
Thou and I will see him dine, when we bear them thither.
Women: Page and monarch forth they went, forth they went together;
Through the rude winds wild lament, and the bitter weather.
Women: 4. Sire, the night is darker now, and the wind blows stronger;
Fails my heart, I know not how, I can go no longer.
Men: Mark my footsteps, good my page, tread thou in them boldly;
Thou shalt find the winter’s rage freeze thy blood less coldly.
All: 5. In his master’s steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted.
Heat was in the very sod which the saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure, wealth or rank possessing,
Ye who now will bless the poor shall yourselves find blessings.
O magnum mysterium (1995) – Music by Morten Lauridsen
English translation of traditional Latin text: O great mystery, and wondrous sacrament, that animals should see the new-born Lord, lying in their manger! Blessed is the Virgin whose womb was worthy to bear the Lord Jesus Christ. Alleluia!
*O come all ye faithful – Authorship of music and words inconclusive (probably monks, 13th-17th century). Arranged by David Willcocks.
1. O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels,
Refrain: O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
2. God of God, Light of Light.
Lo! He abhors not the Virgin’s womb;
Very God, begotten not created; (Refrain)
3. Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
Sing all ye citizens of heaven above;
Glory to God in the highest. (Refrain)
A merry Christmas - Traditional (West country) carol arranged by Arthur Warrell
Please enjoy a mince pie as you leave - a gift from the Tudor Choristers (while stocks last)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thank you to the individuals and businesses who made our performances possible:
Rehearsal and performance venues
Auburn Uniting Church
The Basilica of Our Lady of Victories
Boroondara Council
St George's Anglican Church
SUPPORT TEAM
Front of House
Joy Sharp, Ticket Manager
Kay Kilham
Paul Nieuwenhuizen
Merren Cliff
Lea Stringer
Jack Stringer
Technical and Crew
Melissa Laird, Program design and editing
Ben Carroll, Video operator
Stephen Goodwin, website and tech manager
Jenny Stengards, orchestra convenor
Committee of Management
Christine Hall
David Robinson
David Sharp, treasurer
Grant Furneaux
Kay Matthiesson, secretary
Melissa Laird, vice president
Stephen Goodwin, president
CONTRIBUTORS - (more to be added)
McGuire Music Works
Neil Jewel (music donation)
Season Subscribers